Tim Burton Talks Beetlejuice 2

It was first announced last September that Warner Bros. was interested in developing a sequel to Tim Burton’s 1988 comedy, Beetlejuice. Then, in October, it was said that leading man Michael Keaton was being sought to reprise his role. Now, MTV News confirms that Burton is definitely participating in some capacity.

“Yes,” responded Burton when asked if he was involved with the project. “I love that character, and Michael is so great in it. I always think about how great and fun that character was, so I just said to Seth [Grahame-Smith], ‘If you have some idea about it, go for it, and then I’ll look at it freshly… In the past, I tried some things, but that was way back when. He seemed really excited about it.”

While the original film spawned a lesser-known animated series, a sequel was planned in the early ’90s with the title Beetlejuice Goes Hawaiian. Burton had planned to return as director, but the project failed to develop beyond an initial screenplay. It is currently unknown whether or not David Katzenberg and Grahame-Smith’s upcoming script will have any crossover with that original concept, but Burton’s comments make it sound unlikely.